Determination

Where is your determination? How long does it last? Have you taken on the mentality to do anything necessary to get the job done?

To push the forces of hell out of the way, you have to be more determined than hell itself. You have to be willing to do anything necessary to get the job done. The vision before you must be more important than your own personal pleasure. When you adopt this mentality for you life, you will always push through hard times and take significant territory for the Kingdom of God. -Sparkling Gems


You all know by now that I struggle with procrastination, inconsistency, indiscipline and out and out laziness at times.  My prayer over the last few months has been for God to really help me in this area. As we have been going through the prayer journey, one of my biggest requests of God is that He give me a PASSION for His will, being the woman HE wants me to be.


I read this amazing devotional in "Sparkling Gems" by Rick Renner. It really made me think. How determined am I? To be more determined than hell itself is a HUGE call to action and responsibility. I know I am SELDOM really willing to do ANYTHING necessary to get the job done in ANY situation. I do it till it hurts... but once it hurts, I am ready for the recliner, a bubble bath and a good back rub.


I so want to fulfill God's call on my life, yet I am not doing a very good job at pushing through the tough times. It is time to change my mentality and start taking significant territory for the Kingdom of God! If you ever struggle with the same areas, let's join in the prayer together... Thy Kingdom come... THY WILL BE DONE... and PUSH all the way there!

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Do you continuously deal with temptations? Are you feeling overcome by evil? Join us as we take a deeper look into this passage of The Lord's Prayer.

There Is A God...Proof

This video puts it so simply. Do you question God? Take a minute to take in His beautiful creation today! What more proof do you need?

Who's Your Witness?

My teenage son asked me a question last night. It was one of those questions that you know the answer in your heart, but can't seem to put it into words. It was one of those questions you secretly hope no one asks, especially your children. He said, "Mom, why do you believe what you believe?"

You have to understand a little about my son. He is a highly intelligent kid, mature beyond his years in many things- yet he has an inquisitive and quite argumentative spirit about him. He likes things PROVED! I think it is his scientific brain (which obviously comes from his father). He loves learning, but often struggles with the things he is taught in public school. Why? Because he sees the reason behind it, but knows it is so far from what I have taught him in our Christian home.

WOW!!! How do you answer that? Many people use the Bible to support their answers and would rattle off a scripturally accurate account of "because Christ dies for us" or the Bible says that "all have sinned and fall short"... you know the answers I am talking about. But I know that one thing I have learned with anyone who thinks as logically and scientifically as my son.. using the Bible which "I" know is God's infallible Word is not going to work because you have to believe that it IS His Word before you use it as evidence for your argument.

My answer to him came from my personal experience with God. The ways I have seen my life change because of His presence and guiding in my life. The joy that I have from ONLY His touch in my life. And the list goes on...

As I was thinking about the conversation, I was reminded of a scripture from Romans. I have recently been studying Romans and have been amazed at just how little snippets mean so much. In Romans 1:9, Paul says, "For God is my witness.." Think about the value and importance of those 5 little words. He is writing the Romans, and educated bunch for sure. I can imagine they probably wanted proof of all the things Paul had to say. His simple words, "for God is my witness."

Why do I believe what I believe? For God is my witness! Simply said! Who is your witness?

Expanding Your Light

Do you feel insignificant in your abilities to witness to others? Have you ever wished you had a way to encourage someone in their walk with God? Many times we feel like a portion of that song saying, "this little light of mine." But instead of realizing how much we CAN do with our light, we may not "hide it under a bushel" but we let it get covered up by the business of life, or even our own insecurities.

Each and every Christian has a light that can shine for others to find a way out of darkness, no doubt!  Sometimes we don't realize that by being a small part of something, actually expands our own light. Today, however, I want you to think about another way that you can let your little light shine WAY beyond your personal sphere of influence. By supporting a ministry, outreach, christian radio station, we can take that little light and help fan the flame of an already growing ministry.

This week our local Christian radio station, 106.9 The Light, is having their annual shareathon. As I was thinking about the importance of this event for the station, I was also reminded of the importance Christian radio has played in my own life. I cannot tell you how many times I have been discouraged while driving to work, praying for God to answer a prayer or encourage me and IMMEDIATELY a song came on that changed my whole perspective on the day. The ability to freely receive teaching through programming that focuses on Christian living and spiritual growth is such a privilege!

I recently came across some statistics about Christian radio that blew me away. My quotes may not be exact, but the expanse of difference is what I want you to see. For every 2 million hours of Christian radio programming in the United States, there are only 200 hours available outside the US. We are so "spoiled" to the availability of encouraging words of song and spiritually educational programming, that we just overlook even the cost of what we are receiving. And broadcasting is not cheap!

What am I getting at? You can expand your influence by simply supporting something with a broader reach. Christian radio reaches millions every day. You can support it by not only financially supporting your local station, but by keeping the station itself lifted up in prayer. Pray for the DJ's to play the songs that God leads them to. Timing is so crucial to the influence this type of ministry has. God can use your little light in an amazing way if you just take an opportunity to expand your light a little.

If you would like to take action on this little challenge, I would love for you to click on the link at the top of the page and help out one of my favorite stations. I have been so impressed with this station that is part of the Billy Graham network. They have ministered to my heart over and over again.

Again, I challenge you. Expand your light today. You never know whose life your little spark may fan a flame into.

Proud Mama Moment

Don't you just LOVE it when you see that your kids are "getting it"? Especially when you see them soaking up God!

This morning as I was about to make my post to SHINE, I looked over in my blog list to see that my ten year old had made a post to her blog. Clicking over to read I was so impressed with what she had written. I helped her start the blog a month or so ago as a challenge for her to share what she was learning about God. I was hoping to help spark a little light in her to teach her how to SHINE as well.

If you could see my face now! I am just beaming to know that she not only "got it" when she heard the lesson at her friend's church, but that she decided to share it as well. Sometimes we don't realize what our kids are taking in. Cat has not shared one bit of what she wrote in her blog with me, but... she still learned it and is obviously taking it to heart.

Encourage your kids. Invest into their spiritual growth. Challenge them to be a light as well. It doesn't matter whether you are a spark or a flame, it still puts light on darkness somewhere. Check out her post and join me in my praise to God for creating a hunger in her life as well.

Ooops! Forgive me!

 Do you ever forget something and remember when it is too late? Do you have every intention of staying consistent and somehow end up failing without even realizing it? Guess what?!?! You aren't alone. Well, you may have felt alone if you showed up for the SHINE PJ Party tonight!

I am soooo sorry if I let any of you down tonight. I am being real and honest, because that is part of what SHINE is all about. We are here to be REAL with one another and the reality of the situation is that I just became distracted with my day and forgot about the post until now! I had not even made the video yet! And honestly, I feel horrible!

So what can we gain from this spiritually? Hmmm... isn't it interesting that our next portion of The Lord's Prayer is, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." So, I could simply ask you to forgive me and remind you that if you want God to ever forgive you, you have to forgive me. But, I don't think that is what Jesus was wanting us to get from that part of the prayer.

Matthew 7:12 says, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." I think this goes hand in hand with this section of the prayer. It is almost like a reverse request... as you forgive us Lord, help us remember how we should forgive others.

How many times am I quick to judge someone's intensions? How often do I hold something against someone who has irritated me, got under my skin, or maybe hurt me (intentionally or not)?

Yes, I hope you all will forgive me for not posting our video tonight. But, I know my wonderful Heavenly Father already has. HE IS SO GOOD! I figure you all were sick of seeing my face every Saturday night anyway.. you probably needed the break! See, GOD IS SO GOOD!! :O)

Here is a thought, someone shouldn't have to ask for your forgiveness in order for you to forgive them. The Lord's Prayer was a daily prayer. We should be daily forgiving the trespasses of those around us as an action of love and gratefulness for the forgiveness God has given us.

So, here I am being REAL with you... don't feel so bad if you mess up... just remember to be as gracious with those around you as God is with you!